Out There
by wisegirl2772
Summary: A collection of one shots about the crew of the Magus, mainly focusing on the lives of Lincoln Cole and Lena Landry.
1. Newly Founded

**AN: **So, this idea came to me the other day, and I figured it would be pretty fun as well as a way to get some ideas I had out of my brain and give me something to do while waiting for some ideas for my other stories! So this is _Out There_, which is basically going to be a collection of one shots, mainly concerning Lincoln and Lena, but may at times stray to other crew members! If you guys have any ideas for some chapters go ahead and tell me! I have a list of ideas right now, but I'm willing to take a few requests here and there! The one-shots probably won't go in chronological order, but this one starts way at the beginning, when Lena and Lincoln first met! Hope you guys enjoy this!

**Dedication: **To Emory, Ian, and Ola! Congrats guys!

**Disclaimer: **I own none of the characters or ideas you recognize from _This River. _Please don't sue me.

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><p>Lena stood on the far end of the dock, staring up in awe at the boat-no, the <em>ship<em> before her. The sun shined off the top deck's white exterior which contrasted sharply off the fire engine red of the lower decks, the ship's name, the _Magus,_ was printed boldly on the topmost deck, and to the blonde's six year old mind, it was the most marvelous thing she had ever seen, even better than Disney World.

Behind the young girl, her father, Russ, stood, several cases filled with camera gear stacked next to him as he too took in the sight of this ship which would act as their home for who knew how long. He looked calculatedly at the _Magus, _observing, just as his daughter was, the fresh paint and new look the ship was sporting. Needless to say, it didn't look too bad of a place to work and live.

"What do you say, Peaches?" Russ asked, nudging the blonde with his elbow. "Should we board or head back home?" Lena threw him the most exasperated look a six year old could make, her long braids swinging around her shoulders.

"Daddy," she began, as though she were the adult, "this is home now." She bit her lip looking back at the _Magus. _"Doesn't it just look like home?" Russ chuckled softly, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling the girl close to him, who in return, slung one of her thin arms around his waist, hanging onto the hem of his shirt.

"Yes, Peaches, it most certainly does," he conceded, tugging lightly on her hair. "So, let's go aboard!" Lena's face almost broke in half; her smile was so large, despite the fact that she was missing a tooth in the very front. She eagerly grabbed her duffle and a box of sound equipment, but only after several minutes of assuring her Daddy that she was in fact strong enough to do so. Russ simply rolled his eyes but allowed her to carry the case nonetheless. His little girl wasn't one to be refused, especially when she was determined, and that's exactly what she was. Determined.

The family of two made their way to the end of the pier where the _Magus _was docked, the crew busily loading the ship with supplies: food, ropes, charts, and numerous other materials. On the lowest deck stood three stationary people who seemed to be watching over the loading of the ship, the three immersed in a conversation, gesturing first at the supplies before back towards the gleaming walls of the _Magus. _Russ, not wanting to interrupt the trio made of two men, both tall, although the darker haired one was noticeably taller by just a few inches, and the other a woman with curled light auburnish hair.

Russ waited patiently for a minute a so, waiting for a lapse in conversation, but a determined Lena is not a patient Lena at all. Lena brushed her braids off her shoulders before sharply poking her father in the side. She gave him a look that basically stated that if he didn't say anything, she would. He sighed. Lena looked at him expectantly, opening her mouth so as to speak up but he waved her off, turning back to the _Magus._

He raised a hand so as to shade his eyes from the blinding sun. "Hello there!" he called, waving his other hand so as to catch the attention of the trio. Lena looked up as the woman leaned over the railing waving back at them.

"Hello!" she greeted them, a wide smile on her freckled face. "What can I do for you?" She straightened slightly, making a shushing noise at the men behind her, who still seemed to be talking, perhaps even disagreeing over something.

"My name's Russ Landry." Russ turned to Lena. "This is my daughter Lena." The six year old in turn smiled her gaptoothed smile at the woman, waving brightly. "I'm looking for Emmet Cole; I'm his new cameraman."

The woman, if possible, smiled even more broadly. "Yes of course! Come aboard!" The woman pushed herself off the railing, grabbing the arm of one of the men behind her, leading him over to the metal ladder on the side of the ship. Russ, after exchanging a few words between one of the other workers on the dock, left the cases filled with his camera gear with the rest of the equipment, before leading Lena over to the ladder.

Russ boosted Lena up to the ladder, allowing her to climb up several rungs before following her up the rest of the short ladder. Lena quickly scrambled to the top, beyond excited to set her feet firmly on her new home, excited to start a new adventure, and excited to help her Daddy do what he loved.

The father and daughter were greeted once their feet were planted on the deck by the curly haired woman and the shorter of the two bickering men, the blonde one, whose hands were intertwined between each other.

"Nice to have you aboard," the man welcomed him, outstretching a calloused and weathered hand, which Russ shook immediately. "I'm Emmet Cole." For the captain of the ship, Emmet was surprisingly human and amicable. Russ had half expected him to be an old man with a long graying beard with a heavy seaman's accent, but instead, Emmet appeared to be about the same age as Russ, give or take a few years, and the only lines on his face were obviously a result of his broad smile.

Russ now turned to the woman at Emmet's side who extended her hand, which was not as tough but just as seasoned, as well. She, like her husband, looked to be about Russ's age with youthful eyes and a slender build. "Tess Cole," she informed him, drawing her hand back so as to clasp Emmet, who was obviously her husband. Russ settled his hands onto Lena's shoulders, pushing her blonde braids off her shirt, allowing them to dangle down her back.

"It really is a pleasure to be here," Russ informed them. "She's an absolute beauty. I know Lena here was beyond excited when I told her she got to come along as well." Lena smiled up at her Daddy before looking back at the couple before the father and daughter.

Tess smiled down at the girl. "Well, we're glad to have to aboard, both of you. At least there will be someone else around to try and keep Lincoln out of trouble." Emmet snorted, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like "Doubt it."

Russ cocked his head. "Lincoln?" he questioned. Tess and Emmet nodded.

"Our son," Emmet informed the two. "He should be around here somewh-" the captain of the ship broke off as the clashing of pots and pans echoed up from the hold, along with angered Spanish. Emmet and Tess shared a look between each other, before saying in unison, "Lincoln," just as a blonde boy, just around Lena's age, came dashing through the windowed room the others were standing next to. The boy turned on his heel, as though to run down the side of the ship that Russ, Lena and the others stood, but stopped at the sight of Emmet and Tess.

He froze, an innocent smile immediately gracing his face. "Hey Mom, Dad!" More pots clashed together below them, but the boy- Lincoln remained in character, never breaking from his innocent façade.

"Lincoln," Tess began, "what did you do?"

"Nothing," Lincoln insisted as the angry Spanish increased from the hold.

"Lincoln."

The boy's face cracked, and he looked guiltily down at his shoes, toeing the newly waxed deck. "I love you?" he told her, his voice and face hopeful that he would be able to avoid a scolding. Tess narrowed her eyes slightly, before shrugging and shaking her head. She turned to Emmet.

"He certainly is your son," she told him simply. Emmet and Russ snorted, while Tess stood there shaking her head, and Lena looked on curiously.

"Yes," Emmet chuckled, pressing a kiss to Tess's cheek before walking towards Lincoln and wrapping an arm around his neck, pulling him playfully towards the group. "He certainly is." Emmet ruffled Lincoln's hair, causing it to stand on edge. Lincoln glared up at his dad, before smoothing his blonde hair back down.

Emmet brought Lincoln back to the group so that he was standing before Russ and Lena. "Lincoln, this is Russ, our new cameraman, and his daughter Lena. They're going to be staying with us at least for the next few weeks." The boy looked apprehensively at the girl before him, who eyed him back. She looked about his age, but he had never met a girl whose hair was as blonde as hers or as long as they appeared in her braids. She stared at him in a way that made him think she was older than she appeared, and he wondered exactly what her deal was.

Little did Lincoln know, but Lena was doing the same thing. She wanted to know who this boy was exactly. She appeared to be sizing him up, trying to determine who this boy, in the shorts and mussed up shirt, his hair still on edge, was. He didn't exactly look like any of the boys she had gone to school with, but then again, none of the boys she had gone to school with lived on a ship with his parents, going on adventures every day. She supposed he could be a valuable person to know, or maybe even a partner-in-crime?

She held out her hand to the boy. "Lena," she said simply. The boy stared down at it as though shaking hands was a foreign concept to him. Perhaps, Lena thought, it was. Maybe he had never been on shore before! Maybe he had never met another kid… maybe he didn't have any friends. The very moment that thought blossomed in Lena's mind, she was determined to become this kid's friend, no matter what it took.

Lincoln hesitated a moment longer. He had never been friends with a _girl _before. But maybe, Lincoln thought, taking in Lena's jean shorts and striped shirt, being friends with her wouldn't be _that _bad. He took her hand in his, like he had seen his dad do time after time with each new member of the _Magus_'s crew.

"Lincoln."

The two smiled shyly at each other, their new found friend.

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><p><strong>AN: <strong>So, I hope you guys enjoyed it! If you have any ideas, criticisms, or anything else feel free to review or PM me! I really appreciate anything and everything!

Signing off,

WiseGirl


	2. Karma At Its Finest

**AN: **Hey everyone! So, here's the next chapter! I actually have a few other chapters written as well, but I just didn't think they would be the best ones to post, at least not yet! Any way, I hope you all enjoy this chapter. In the pilot episode, during the scene where Lincoln is stitching Lena's leg up, the two talk about a time when Lincoln touched the wrong plant or vine and ended up looking like the Boogeyman. This is my take on what happened. Hope you all enjoy!

**Dedication:** To my reviewers! Thanks so much for your feedback, I really do appreciate it!

**Disclaimer: **Anything you recognize, I do not own.

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><p>"Three…two…one!" She peeled her fingers away from her eyes, peering owlishly around her, searching for any sign of her friend hidden among the trees. "Ready or not here I come!" She set off immediately across the deck, looking high and low for Lincoln, but all the girl found was bright, rusty metal and a few bugs here and there. Shuddering as she slowly backed away from a particularly spider infested corner, Lena examined her surroundings, her eyebrows scrunched together in concentration as she listened for any rustling that may give away where Lincoln was hiding.<p>

The two had spent the past several days searching for ways to keep themselves entertained while their parents were on a hike in surrounding forest. Neither Lena nor Lincoln had seen their parents for two days, the only adult aboard being Emilio, who wasn't very good at playing games with the children. They had given up rather quickly on him after he suggested they make a game out of cleaning their rooms. He obviously knew nothing.

The cracking of branches resounded from the edge of the forest near the _Magus, _and Lena spun around, her eyes wandering over the broad leaves, searching for any rustling that may indicate what was in the trees. The _trees. _

She took off towards the stern of the _Magus_, holding onto the railing near the ladder as she looked over the side of the ship. Immediately, Lena caught sight of soft, foot-like imprints in the sandy earth, and a broad smile spread across her face. The girl shook her head, the loose hairs of her braids tickling her shoulders.

"Silly, silly Lincoln," she sighed mockingly, her eyes scanning the trees where the footsteps mysteriously ended. "I've got you this time!" Hurriedly, Lena knelt down, grasping onto the metal rungs of the side ladder, being careful so as to not slip and fall on the bottom bars which were slick with the river's water. She cast a look over her shoulder, judging the distance between the _Magus _and beach-like shore line before taking a flying leap.

She fell on her knees, dirt and sand digging into her bare legs, but she took no notice, scrambling off the ground, ignoring the sharp pains she felt on the palms of her hands which she had used to push herself off of the ground with. Carefully, so as to not muss up the trail Lincoln had left behind, Lena followed the footsteps, a thrill running through her. She was _finally _going to win at hide-and-seek! She had lived on the ship for two years with Lincoln and his family, yet she had never been able to actually find her friend whenever the two had played hide-and-seek. Lena swore he was cheating. Lincoln thought she was a sore loser, because she had never been able to find a spot to hide that Lincoln didn't think of. This game… this game was payback.

The foot prints ended abruptly at the edge of a broad tree, its massive roots sprawled across the forest floor, intertwining with the neighboring trees. Lena stared up in awe at the vines that dangled from the branches, the ivy and leaves partially blocking the sun and leaving the girl in shadows.

Lena pursed her lips together in thought, debating whether she should climb the tree in search of Lincoln or simply shout at him. Scaling the side of this monstrous tree would probably be a lot of fun, but then again, yelling at Lincoln, without getting into trouble, would probably be just as much fun, if not more. However, Lena didn't want to risk the chance of awakening some Amazon creature that would end up eating her or something else just as horrific. It would probably happen with her luck…

She braced her sneaker clad foot against the trunk of the tree, wrapping her hand into one of the dangling vines, pulling on it so as to judge its stability. With the taut in her grasp, Lena had just started her ascent up the side of the tree trunk when the rustling of bushes and the crunching of leaves and ground resounded from behind her. Lena froze, craning her neck to peer over her shoulder at the foliage around her. She allowed her feet to drop out from under her, landing with a thud on the forest floor.

"H-Hello?" Lena called out, cursing herself for allowing her voice to shake. Swallowing, she tried again. "Who's there? I know someone's there!"

Her questions were met with relative silence, the only noise around her being the whistling of wind in the trees and the rushing water nearby. A shiver ran down Lena's back fro she was sure someone was watching her…someone…somewhere… She shifted her eyes nervously, searching for this hidden person, but upon sighting no one, she took several uneasy steps backwards, hitting the tree behind her.

The rustling began again, much closer than before, and Lena, shoving her pride aside, turned on her heel, as though to run back to the _Magus_, but instead, she collided into something, falling backwards onto her bottom. With shaky breath, Lena looked up at what she had run into, only to find a mud splattered Lincoln grinning down at her. He smirked from beneath his dirt covered face.

"You're not scared, are you Lena?" He teased the girl. Lena narrowed her eyes, anger filling up inside of the girl.

She pushed herself off the ground, not even bothering to brush herself off, before she shoved the boy with both of her hands. He stumbled, grasping onto a dangling root with a funny hue about it to keep his balance.

"Jerk," she muttered spitefully, crossing her arms tightly across her chest. He merely smiled at her cheekily.

"So, you were?"

She glared at him, brushing passed him with a huff, heading back in the direction of the ship. Her shuffling feet were soon joined by Lincoln's, who hurried to fall into step beside her.

The two walked in silence for several minutes, Lincoln not daring to say a word in case Lena tried to hit him. He knew from experience (usually after he had done something stupid) that she had a very strong arm. He didn't want to risk the chance that she would lash out in anger.

The two followed his tracks back to the _Magus _which shone in its weathered glory in the afternoon sun. The kids stared up at it, before exchanging brief looks. Lena surveyed his dirt covered appearance and couldn't help the smile that spread across her face.

"You're a mess," she said shortly. Lincoln looked down at himself, before rubbing a dirty hand across his face.

"Yep," he agreed, popping the 'p' loudly. The two stared at each other for a few seconds, before breaking into peals of laughter, clutching at their sides. It wasn't particularly funny, but after days of boredom aboard the _Magus_, Lena and Lincoln were pleased beyond belief to have something to laugh about.

"Come on, Mud Boy," Lena spoke between giggles. "Let's get that mud off you, yeah?"

…..

After sneaking past Emilio, who hadn't even really noticed the two's absence, Lena and Lincoln settled themselves into the small bathroom, Lincoln leaning over the sink, trying to wash away as much of the mud he could from his arms, while Lena perched herself on the edge of the shower. Lincoln had decided against taking a shower until later that night, seeing as there was probably only a few hours of daylight left, and the two friends wished to spend some more time out in the sunlight.

Lena played with the hem of her shirt, picking at the dirt that layered the edge. "When do you think our parents will be back?" she asked quietly, staring at her dirty top.

Lincoln looked at her reflection, observing the sadness of her face. "Soon," he answered hopefully, wishing to raise his friend's spirits. Lena looked up, a small smile on her face. Lincoln smiled back at her.

Looking back down at the sink, Lincoln turned the knobs slightly until it was at a comfortable temperature, before splashing the water onto his face. He rubbed at his skin, the water which receded down the basin a murky brown. Shaking his head to get the water out of his eyes, Lincoln turned the water off, raising his head to meet his eyes in the glass of the mirror.

"Oh my god!" he cried, his hands flying to his face, pulling at his skin. Lena looked up. "What is this?" He spun around, his eyes anxious. "Lena!"

The girl's mouth dropped, staring at her friend's face. The usually smooth, light skin was now covered in swollen blemishes and was bright red. Her eyes widened in shock. "Lena, what is this stuff?" he cried, turning back to look at the mirror. He squeezed his eyes together desperately, praying that when he opened them the hives would be gone. Alas, they were still there when he pried his eyes open. Groaning, Lincoln slumped against the sink basin, pulling at his hair.

"What am I going to do?" he moaned. Lena shrugged, eyeing the boy warily. Before she could respond, the two heard heavy footsteps from above them.

"Lincoln? Lena? We're back!" Tess's voice sounded from the upper deck, and Lena shot to her feet hurriedly while Lincoln groaned again in despair. Lena made a mad dash for the door, eager to see her Daddy.

"Wait, Lena! Come back!" Lincoln demanded. "You have to help me!" Lena, who had made to begin her ascent of the ladder, stopped in her tracks, turning back to her friend.

"There's no way I'm helping you," she informed him simply. "Who knows what that is, and you are not giving it to me, Boogeyman." She shrugged her shoulders, before continuing up the ladder to the top deck.

Lincoln groaned despondently, poking at the rash on his face. He could hear his parents, Clark and Russ above him, and he knew sooner or later that his Mom would come to find him. There was no way on earth he would be able to hide this from them.

No sooner had this thought crossed his mind when his Mom's voice came from the top of the ladder. "Lincoln! Come on up!" This command was followed quite obviously by Lena's giggles.

The boy looked at the mirror once more. "It's now or never, I guess," he muttered. "I'm _so _in for it."

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><p><strong>AN: <strong>So, Lena and Lincoln are about ummm... eight? Yeah, around eight, and I figure in the show Jahel is about fifteen while Lincoln and Lena are twenty-five so, Jahel won't be around until those two are thirteen, at least. I really hope you guys do enjoy this, and I'll post more chapters as I go along. Unfortunately, that won't be until maybe Saturday, but if my week seems light, possible Wednesday or Thursday.

Again, thanks for all the reviews, and if you have any ideas/requests for chapters, review or send me a PM! I'll try my best to give you what you want!

Thanks again!

Signing off,

WiseGirl


	3. Normal With Me

**AN: **Hey guys! Sorry that I'm a little late updating, but I was having a bit of trouble with this chapter. I actually rewrote it several times because I felt the first time was too... romantic? and the second version just seemed weak, I guess... Anyway... third times the charm! Here's the next chapter! By the way, I hope you all saw the season finale! I totally had a heart attack in the first ten minutes and then again in the last 15 minutes or so. Poor Lincoln...poor Lena... poor Emmet... gosh... poor everyone! Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter at least a little bit!

**Dedication: **Happy Birthday Sara and Brittany!

**Disclaimer: **All characters belong to ABC. I am simply messing with their emotions and memories.

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><p>"Lincoln?" Lena's usually loud voice was soft, almost timid in the night air. The two friends had hidden themselves away on the stern of the <em>Magus<em>, settled in the shadows of crates and equipment. The night was silent except for the purring of the engine beneath their feet and the slapping of water against the sides of the ship.

Ever since Lena had returned to the ship after a brief period of time back in Colorado, two had been unable to spend any time together, simply talking, without one of their parents hanging around them, almost watching them. It was unsettling to say the least. The teens were rather fortunate that the day had been a long and tedious one, because their parents had now retired either to their room or to the editing room in Russ's case.

Lincoln angled his head away from the sky, turning to face the girl next to him, who was biting at her lip, a most uncharacteristic thing for her to do. Her normal bright eyes seemed dark, almost haunted, and she had her arms wrapped tightly around her knees, as though to protect herself.

"What is it, Lena?" Lincoln asked, squirming slightly on the deck until his shoulder was pressed lightly against Lena's. The two had fallen into a comfortable silence after talking for so long, and Lena's questioning (or was it shaking?) voice was the first thing she had said in a while. When Lena didn't respond immediately to his inquiry, Lincoln nudged her gently in the side, urging her to speak.

She looked at him from under her wispy bangs, before sighing and turning to face him completely. "It's just-I've been thinking," she paused, trying to collect her thoughts. "We're not exactly normal, are we?" Lincoln's forehead scrunched together curiously, and Lena took that as a sign to continue.

"I mean, how many kids grow up on a boat? In the Amazon? On national television? And, how many normal kids can identify the difference between a Sandbox tree and a Rubber tree? And how about the fact that I've never kis-" She stopped abruptly, her eyes widening. It would've been comical if not for the scared look in her eyes. Her cheeks flushed brightly, and she looked down, her loose hair swinging in front of her face, acting as a curtain between her and Lincoln. "It's just… Living on the _Magus _is like a dream, and we've never really gotten the _chance _to be normal, and…and I think I would really like to be," she admitted softly, her words mixing with the soft evening air.

There was a pause between the two as Lincoln searched for the words to comfort his friend, his best friend…his _only _friend. He knew what she had been about to say. "_I've never kissed a boy."_ That had to be what she was about to say, it just had to be. The two had lived on the _Magus _for more than half their lives, and they were all the other had for company, there was no one else even close to their age, and they never spent enough time off the ship to meet anyone else their own age.

Basically, these facts meant two things to Lincoln: 1) Lena had not had her first kiss and 2) Neither had he.

Lincoln scooted over just an inch or so more, reaching out to grab Lena's hand, which had tangled itself in her hair, nervously trying to smooth the rough edges. He allowed his fingers to intertwine with hers, squeezing her hand tightly, and rejoicing silently when she squeezed back, although her gaze stayed on the deck of the ship, scouring the floor for imperfections, which, from after years of weather and stomping feet, were not difficult to find.

Slowly, with his free hand, Lincoln reached out, gently brushing Lena's loose hair off her shoulders, revealing her still pink face to the teen. He hesitated for a moment before summoning any and all courage he had and grasping her chin between his fingers, turning her so that brown eyes met blue, and then… and then Lincoln kissed her, their lips smooth against the others. Smooth and soft and…simply perfect.

The two kept their lips pressed against the others for several moments, long enough for Lena to reach her free hand up to cradle Lincoln's face in her warm palm, the tips of her fingers brushing softly against the skin before his ear. The two shivered, whether from the breeze from off the river or from the tingling sparks that ran through their bodies, they weren't exactly sure.

Eventually, Lena pulled away slowly, her lips lingering on Lincoln's for a moment longer before pulling away entirely. Her eyes fluttered open at the same time that Lincoln's did and slow smiles spread across their faces. Lincoln rested his forehead against Lena's for a moment, his warm breath washing over her face.

"My father might think being normal is overrated Lena," Lincoln murmured softly, "but I can't think of anything better than being normal, especially if you're normal with me." Lena laughed quietly, leaning down so as to rest her head against Lincoln's shoulder, her hair falling in waves over her shoulder and onto Lincoln's bare arm, tickling him and sending shivers through his body.

"Neither can I, Lincoln," Lena whispered back quietly, savoring the heat which flowed through Lincoln's body and into hers as he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close to protect her the cool breeze of the night. The two allowed the rumbling of the engine and running water to form a song, lulling the two into a state of contentedness as the night wrapped itself around them. They were more than happy to simply sit there in the other's arms, relishing the comfort and warmth the other emitted, as the stars and moon shined brilliantly above them.

…..

In the shadows of the trees and boats, Russ observed the scene before him. His daughter was wrapped in the arms of a boy, a boy, who despite having known him for years, Russ still believed to be one thing. Trouble. And yet, it was almost satisfying to see his Peaches with Lincoln. It almost seemed as though the two were…made for each other. Russ had to hand it to Emmet: the two probably would end up married one day. While this idea would normal churn his stomach, Russ found that the thought of Lena and Lincoln together wasn't _too _unappealing, maybe because he knew that Lincoln would never do anything to harm Lena. The two were too close to let that happen. And Russ knew that Lincoln would always be able to comfort Lena in a way he never could, that kiss proved it.

Russ smirked softly. His Peaches first kiss. He was surprised to find that he was glad it was Lincoln that she shared it with, but at the same time, Russ couldn't help but feel nostalgic. His Peaches was growing up… but maybe, that wasn't too big of a problem…

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><p><strong>AN: <strong>I know, it's not very long, but I feel I got the job done... I guess... anyway, hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and the season finale! I'll update as soon as possible! And if you have any comments, criticism or requests feel free to drop me a line! Thanks!

Signing off,

Wise Girl


	4. Sure As Hell

**AN: **Here's the next chapter. I wrote this a couple of episodes before the finale so it may be a little different than what happened, but how would we know? Also, I took some information off the ABC website because they have crew bios on there, so if you haven't checked that out you should. Anyway, I'm not too sure about this chapter and don't think it's exactly up to par with the others but whatever.

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing.

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><p>"There is no magic out there!" Lincoln whipped around, his blonde hair flopping around, as he angrily faced his father. The setting sun cast a blazing orange over the <em>Magus. <em>The tension had been running extraordinarily high between Emmet and Lincoln in the past weeks, and the tempers had finally boiled over. Tess had known this day would come for years. While Lincoln was certainly Emmet's son, the two were just too different to views on what life was, what a _normal _life was.

Lincoln raised his head to meet his father's eye. At sixteen, he was several inches shorter than Emmet, but the teen's anger fueled him with the confidence to look his father in the eye almost as though he was an equal.

"Lincoln, think about everything you've ever seen!" Emmet insisted, gesturing with hands to the vast forest and waters surrounding them. "Everything here _is _magical and it's just waiting to be found by me, by you, by the whole world!" He took several steps forward, grasping his son by the shoulders. "You are so fortunate! You've lived a life that millions would die for, and you've seen things others have only dreamed of. Any normal kid would kill to be in your shoes!"

Lincoln pulled away angrily, pointing his finger at Emmet accusingly. "Exactly. Any _normal _kid. You stole my childhood from me, thrusting me into _your _life, dragging me from place to place, forcing me to live on this boat. Because of you, I have no _real _childhood."

In a moment of pure rage, Lincoln grabbed the closest thing to him, his teddy bear, Marbeley. He didn't spare the bear a glance, the bear which he had carried with him as a boy before deciding it was time for him to grow up, and instead of parting with the bear, he had placed at the front of the boat, just in the window so it could watch over the ship. Angrily, he threw it with all of his might into the depths of the water surrounding the _Magus._

Father and son watched as the worn bear sunk beneath the murky waters, as Tess and Lena rose from hold, having heard the furious shouts from below. Tess took a look at her husband and son who were now but inches from each other, Lincoln's face one of rage while Emmet attempted to show some understanding or calmness. He was failing.

Anxiously, Tess gestured at Russ, signaling for him to cut the video feed off right then, while Lena looked on hesitantly from the door frame, watching as Lincoln, her best friend and partner-in-crime, tried to take down one her most highly respected people. She gnawed on her lip nervously as her father lowered the camera, placing it on the deck before stepping back awkwardly.

"I'm tired of living on this boat," Lincoln spit out, brushing his hair out of his eyes. "I'm tired of never being able to find a moment of peace, of never being able to go _anywhere _without a damn camera following me around. Everyone's always saying how freaking prefect our family is, and yet, there is _nothing _perfect about this family!"

Emmet simply pressed his lips together, refusing to say a word, simply staring out at the spot where Marbeley had sunk minutes before. Lincoln searched his father's face for any sign of emotion, any sign that he cared about what Lincoln had to say, but like always, the teen found nothing.

Shaking his head in frustration, Lincoln stepped away from Emmet, moving towards the steps to the hold. Tess took this moment to step up, placing herself between Lincoln and the downwards ladder. She gripped his shoulders in her hands.

"Lincoln, please," she pleaded, searching in his unusually dark and haunted eyes. He couldn't leave, he couldn't! He was her baby boy; she wouldn't allow him to leave. "Please Lincoln, let's just talk, all of us together, please!"

Lincoln shrugged her hands off his shoulders.

"No, Mom," he demanded. "I'm tired of having to live out here. You're always talking about home, and Mom, this is _not _home. It's nowhere close to home! I want to be normal, like everyone else!"

Emmet snorted. "What an eloquent way of saying you want to play video games," he taunted Lincoln, not flinching as the teen spun around, glaring at him with pure malice and spite.

"You're constantly talking about this magic that is supposedly out there, simply waiting to be found," Lincoln shot at his father, who merely took it in stride. "You're going on about this magic and how it's out there in this "undiscovered" magical land, but you know what? I've discovered enough to last me a life time. The only place left for me to discover is home, our _real _home.

"Maybe this life is fine with you," Lincoln continued, "but it sure as hell isn't fine with me. You stole my childhood from me, but there is no fucking way I'm letting you steal the rest of my life from me." With one last look of contempt, Lincoln brushed past his mother, storming towards the ladder leading down to the hold. Lena and Russ, who had been standing on the deck, watching as the Cole family shattered into hundreds of tiny pieces, shared a look, understanding passing between them.

Lena spared a look at Emmet and Tess, the latter of the two who was staring at her husband, tears crawling slowly down her cheeks while Emmet stared impassively off into the trees. With one last look at her father, Lena hurried down the ladder of the hold, landing with a quiet splash on the damp floor. The hall was empty, but she could hear the sounds of books and clothing being thrown around from Lincoln's room, and the teen rushed off in that direction.

The blonde threw open the door to Lincoln's cabin, taking in the usually organized room which now was strewn with loose papers and miscellaneous articles of clothing. Lena's eyes landed on Lincoln who was rapidly packing a duffle with whatever he could, whatever was in his grasp.

"L-Lincoln," she began, swallowing so as to try and clear her throat. "Lincoln, what are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Lena flinched. Never in the ten years that she had known him had Lincoln ever snapped at her. The two were inseparable, their fathers constantly joking that they were a perfect match, a magical match. Russ, however, had always _hoped_ that they would only ever have the perfect _platonic _relationship and nothing more. Never anything more.

Lena squeezed her eyes shut so as to prevent the onslaught of tears that were prickling behind her bright brown eyes.

"Please, Lincoln," she pleaded in a whisper. "You can't-you can't just up and leave!" She moved further into the room, trying desperately to make him understand. "Your family is here! Where are you going to go?"

"Home," Lincoln answered stiffly, restraining himself from looking up because he knew if he did a single look from Lena could make him change his mind.

"Link," Lena murmured, placing a hand on the boy's hand so as to still his packing. "This _is _home. Ever since we first met! We belong on this ship, _you _belong on this ship." She tried to look him in the eye, to try and make him see sense, but Lincoln simply looked away from her, roughly pulling his hand out from under hers.

He grabbed his bag by the straps, swinging it over his shoulder. He moved to the door as Lena remained frozen in her spot, her eyes welling up with tears. He couldn't leave. He was her partner-in-crime, her best friend, her first kiss… he couldn't just leave her alone on this ship. She wouldn't really be alone, but without Lincoln there with her, planning pranks, joking around, talking under the stars, nothing would be the same.

Lincoln paused in the door way, turning back to look at the girl who stood in his room, staring despondently at the duvet of his bed with sad eyes. He took in her forlorn figure, her blonde waves sliding over her shoulders, freckles prominent on her face from the blazing sun. She was so beautiful, and she had changed so much since they were kids. Gone were the braids and pigtails, the gaptoothed grin and oversized shirts. In their place was instead a put together young woman on the verge of blossoming into what Lincoln was sure to be insurmountable beauty…. graceful beauty which Lincoln might never see… that thought alone almost made him throw down his bag and promise never to leave, but he instead took a deep breath, forcing himself to remember that this was the day he had been dreaming about for months, years even!

"This isn't my home anymore, Lena," Lincoln informed the girl, his voice barely above a whisper and yet still quite audible in the silence of the ship, silence broken only by rough water slapping the side of the _Magus _ and clanks from the engine room. "It's time for me to go find my own magic, away from here." He broke off. "I'm sorry."

He stood there a moment longer, wishing that she would turn to look at him, but Lena continued to stare at the same spot, the only sign showing that she had in fact heard him being the tears that now streamed down her face. Lincoln breathed heavily, looking around the bright, puerile room once more before exiting, leaving Lena alone, tears staining her cheeks.

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><p><strong>AN: <strong>Hope you enjoyed it. Feel free to leave any complaints, compliments, or requests.

Signing off,

WiseGirl


	5. Finding Herself

**AN: **Hey everyone! So this is the next chapter or whatever. I admit right now it is not that great. I've been writing bits and pieces of it while in class and on the train, but anyway here it is...

**Dedication: **To my pillow, because I am about to pass out with exhaustion!

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing.

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><p>There were many things Lena was good at. Things that she excelled at even. She had lived almost her entire life aboard the <em>Magus<em>, she knew every nook and cranny, every worn and rusted wall. She knew how to steer the boat, where to navigate to, and what to watch out for when doing so. At the age of twelve, she was one of the leading experts on all things the Amazon. One of the only things she was not good at, something that she would fail at if she lived in the real world, was being a girl.

Her mom had passed away when she was barely two years old, so she could not exactly use her as a role model. She wasn't a girly girl, anyone could see that (and everyone could thanks to the cameras). She had forever been a tomboy, through and through, and she had never really seen a problem in that… at least not until recently…

She wasn't sure what was wrong with her but she had actually taken to stopping and checking her appearance in the ship's mirrors lately, trying to somehow maintain her rat nest of hair and when dressing in the morning actually picking something that appeared as though it went together. She would never be as vain as most girls, she simply couldn't bear the thought of being a priss. But she couldn't help but want to at least look like a girl, especially if she wasn't going to act like one.

Her dad always joked saying she could tie a better knot than any other sailor (and swear better than one too), which of course she took as a compliment, who wouldn't? Yet, Lena couldn't help but want her dad to tell her she was too nice for her own good (even though she wasn't), or compliment her hair, or tell her that she was as pretty as the mother she had never met…

A soft rap on the door pulled Lena away from her thoughts with a snap. She quickly turned the sink's handle, turning the water on, and calling out a sharp, "One moment." She wet her hands, wiping them on her shorts in an attempt to create the illusion that she had not been simply staring at herself in the mirror, trying to come up with some way to make herself look at least a little bit like a girl.

Tess stared after the girl for a moment, watching her slip into her room. She made as though to follow the girl but hesitated not knowing if something was troubling her or if Tess was simply feeling motherly. Before she could decide on the answer though, Tess heard Lincoln crash through the halls and into the kitchen, and she knew she should go and mother him (more like prevent him from eating all of the food) before she mothered Lena.

That didn't mean she wouldn't, of course. She just needed to get her monster under control first.

…..

Lena sighed, scratching at her eyes despondently. She had shut herself away in her cabin for some time now, praying that no one would come looking for her. She wasn't exactly in the mood to play the role of the sailor daughter or Lincoln's partner in crime. No, she just felt like being herself and at the moment she wasn't really sure who she was. She sighed, leaning back against the pillows. She hugged her knees close her, letting herself soak up the warmth her arms offered her. She was just beginning to doze off when there was a knock on her door. Lena awoke with a start, her mattress creaking under her as she jumped, her head whipping towards the door.

"Y-Yes?" Lena called, hating herself for allowing her voice to crack. The door opened and Tess peered around the now open door frame.

"Mind if I come in?" the mother of the ship asked gently. She waited until Lena nodded before entering the room, making sure to shut the door behind her.

Tess settled herself onto the edge of Lena's bed, turning so she was facing the pre-teen scrunched together near the head of her cot. Tess placed a hand near her thigh, leaning over slightly to peer curiously at the girl.

"Lena, have you been feeling okay?" Tess questioned softly, her eyes searching the girl's sad face. "You've seemed… withdrawn the last few days, and while the others may not have noticed, I just wanted to make you're feeling well."

Lena shrugged, her slight shoulders just barely moving. "I'm fine," Lena said loftily, keeping her eyes on her bedspread. She swallowed quite noticeably. "Just tired." Tess nodded, her curls bouncing jerkily with her movements.

"Right," Tess agreed, her words long and drawn out. "Of course, I guess my Mommy instincts were just in overdrive or something." She laughed lightly, rolling her eyes with a shrug. She patted Lena on the knee, her eyes crinkled in a smile, as she attempted to ignore Lena's slight jerk. She made as to move off the bed when Lena, grasped her hand.

"It's just…" Tess paused, half on the bed and half off. She looked at Lena who raised her head just slightly, picking at the worn threads of her duvet. "When I'm away from the _Magus _and you and Lincoln and everyone else, I just feel so out of place." She trailed off, wrapping an arm around her chest. "All the other girls are just so smart and pretty and I'm just…" she shrugged. "Lena. And I just wish that… that my mom was around, just so I would have _someone _to tell me that she thinks I'm pretty, even if I'm not."

Tess cocked her head, a gentle smile playing at her lips. She raised her hand, cupping Lena's small face in her hands. "Oh Lena," she said softly, brushing away a stray hair from her cheek. "I know it must be difficult, and while I may not be _your _mom but that doesn't mean I don't love you as much as everyone else on board." She tucked a loose lock of hair behind Lena's ears, and the girl smiled faintly, her cheeks a light pink.

Tess leaned even closer to the girl. "And just so you know," the mother whispered conspiratorially, "I think you're beautiful."

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><p><strong>AN: <strong>Yeah kinda sappy and no Lena/Lincoln fluff whatsoever. So if you're really angry about that, tell me all about it in your review...

Signing off,

WiseGirl


	6. Crimson Waters

**AN: **Greetings again fellow Riverites (I don't know...whatever)! So, I was having some sort of dance party in my room and I got the weird urge to watch some Lena/Lincoln moments from the show. So, I go to the trusty ABC website (jokes... not that trusty actually) and I'm skipping through some of the episodes and I end up in the season finale right as Lincoln dies, and I realize... this would be a awesome chapter... I think. Thus, I closed out of my Word document for Here For You and opened up a new document instead, and pow! 1700 words later, I've got a new chapter! Woot! Exciting, even though I told myself, "You will turn off the computer at 1 am", well... I just couldn't help myself.

Hoping you enjoy!

**Dedication: **Happy Birthday Angela!

**Disclaimer:** ABC owns The River and all of its characters.

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><p>Crimson stains and screams. That was all that penetrated Lena's thoughts. It was all she was able to focus on, all she could think about. The screams exploded in her mind, echoing off the empty thoughts, and the red was all she could see in her vision. She stared, her eyes oblivious to everything. The people and their movements nothing but faded images to her, everything except the red, which had never seemed brighter to her. Red had always been a dark color and yet, in that moment, it was almost blinding how much it glistened. The masses from the shore blurred together with the edge of the deck, and all the while, the red of his blood shone out in the sun, calling out to her, mocking her, asking why she didn't help… why she wasn't there…<p>

"No! No! No!"

She was shaking, her arms, her legs, everything, simply shivering and not from cold. She was surprised she hadn't shaken herself to bits. She almost wished there were little pieces of Lena scattered across the hull of the ship, bright against the crimson which stained the rusted floors. At least that way she would be free, free of her pain and guilt. Small fragments of herself scattered to the winds and the waters following the broken pieces of her life, her dreams, her loves…

"No! No! No! No! No!"

She was cold, her innards freezing as she stared at his ashen face…frightfully white…awfully pale… obviously dead… She had practically held his life in her hands, watched as it oozed out with the blood, soaking the clothes of his family. She hadn't really realized how much blood there was in a person, but now… now all she could see was his face and red.

"No!"

The cries were quickly turning into sobs, heart wrenching, gut twisting sobs. Feelings of remorse, sadness, and guilt creeped their way back inside of her, crawling up into her heart and squeezing her organs for all they were worth. She dug her nails into her forearms, hoping (for what else was there to hope for now?) that she may be able to take away some of her pain. Instead, all she felt was the slight trickle of her own blood slip from the crescent scratches in her arms, slipping past her legs, mixing with his blood. She stared at the spot where her blood met his, nausea seeping into her.

"Lincoln, no!"

Lena's head shot towards Tess, cradled in her husband's arms. Tears ran down the woman's panic-stricken face, her mind denying what she saw before her. The mother refused to believe what was clearly in front of her. She refused to believe that the body before her, soaked in blood and slowly growing colder, was that of her son… of Lincoln… Yet, the mother's cry affirmed that it really was Lincoln lying there. It was Lincoln who was so terribly pale. It was Lincoln who had bled out in a matter of minutes… a matter of moments. It was Lincoln who was dead.

"Lincoln!"

Lena pushed herself off the floor, her fingers clenching around her stomach as she slid slightly in the crimson stain. She pushed herself forward, stumbling in the ever-growing puddle of blood as she forced herself away from the others. Pitching herself away from the deck, the girl lurched down the steps of the hold, a hand pressed against her mouth to hold down the bile. Her fumbling hand pushed open the door of the bathroom, slamming closed behind her as she fell before the toilet, throwing up into the bowl.

She heaved into the toilet, bracing herself on the bathroom floor for several minutes, her stomach flipping and turning, the coolness of the metal no help to her irritated skin. She clasped against the basin, strands of her hair falling in front of her face, moving with her ragged breath. Slowly, she pushed herself away from the edge of the bowl, falling back against the wall of the bathroom, her head in her hands.

"This isn't possible," she murmured, shaking her head back and forth, her fingers digging into her forehead, leaving marks. "This isn't happening. I'm dreaming, I'm dreaming, I'm drea-" she broke off, sobs building up like the bile in her throat, cutting off her speech. She choked on her tears for several more moments, before her eyes brimmed with water which slowly spilled over. Her face was a mess in moments, burning from the heat and salt of her sobs that racked her body.

She couldn't breathe with the force of cries that shook through her, her whimpering cries quickly turning breathless and haggard. She pressed her nails into her eyelids, spots blooming before her eyes, bright and colorful, much like fireworks.

The pressing of her fingers against her eyes seemed to draw the rest of the tears from her, her weeping quickly becoming nothing but dry cries and sobs. There was nothing she wanted more at that moment but for Lincoln to settle himself next to her, wrap an arm around her, anything. She just wanted him there. Even if she could never have him as a lover, she would much rather have him as a friend than nothing at all. She pressed herself closer to the wall, hoping that she would be able to draw some sense of stability now that her world had been turned upside down.

With each passing moment, Lena's breath grew more and more relaxed, except for the occasional hiccup accompanied by a half-sob. Slowly, she opened her eyes, allowing the dim light of the bathroom to wash over her, burning her weary, dry eyes. She could hear movement from above her, and she was struck with the thought of what they were going to do with his body.

Immediately, she cursed herself for allowing her to think that for the image of Lincoln's crimson covered form filled her vision, his fearful face tugging at her heart. It was as though he was begging her to help him, to save him, to protect him from this unknown that he had been thrust into. Her hands wound themselves into her hair, tugging at her roots so as to punish herself for thinking. She hated herself for not being able to help him. The fear in his eyes was so evident, so contrasting to the Lincoln she knew. He looked like he was eight years old again and had just been told a scary story, one which, for all Lena knew, may be true. And then… the light dimmed from his eyes, his hand went slack, yet… the fear remained, etched across his face whilst she and his parents kept their hands pressed to him, trying to stop the red from spilling from his neck.

Lena looked down now for the first time at her hands. Her fingers were coated in crimson, streaked and dried into her skin. She stared at her hands, first her left and then her right, slowly tracing the patterns the once flowing, warm blood made on her skin. She felt her stomach clench once more at the thought that this was Lincoln's blood literally on her hands. Lincoln… her captain… her bunkmate… her partner-in-crime… he friend… her first love… her only love…

Her hands grasped the edge of the sink, and she pulled herself up, reaching forward to turn the water on. She thrust her hands beneath the hot water, barely flinching as the scalding water washed over her skin, chipping at the crimson stains. She scrubbed furiously at her hands, ignoring the burn and the ache from the heat, thinking that maybe she would be able to burn away any remnants and thus erase the past day from her mind. She felt as though she would cry again, but the burning in her hands and dryness of her throat prevented her from doing so.

The sink filled with red water, steam rising off of it ever so slightly, fogging up the mirror above the basin. With shaking pink hands, Lena turned the faucet off, bracing herself against the metal of the sink. She stared down at the swirling water with wide eyes. Round and round and round, the water turned, and the water level grew lower and lower, until the last trace of liquid slipped down the drain. Her fingers curled around the edge of the sink, preventing her from falling back down into a heap as the crimson waters disappeared from her weary sight, the only remains of the bloody water being a streak of pink which trickled down from Lena's wet hands.

Shakily, she looked up at herself in the mirror, observing the dead look in her eyes, her hair tangled into nest from when she had pulled at it. She surveyed her face, her eyes tracing the single streak of red just above her eyebrow. Jerkily, she raised a damp hand, pressing her thumb into her skin, and rubbing the red mark roughly. Her expression did not change but remained dull and dead, watching as the smudge of red grew fainter and fainter, much like the water which had spiraled down the drain minutes ago.

She wondered for a moment where that water would go, if it would be washed back into the river this wretched boat floated upon or if it would end up somewhere else, carrying Lincoln's blood with it. Maybe it would go to a place far away, somewhere neither Lincoln nor she had gone… a place Lincoln would never go to now.

She swallowed heavily, shutting her eyes as her grip tightened even more around the sink's edge. She wouldn't be surprised if there were dents in the metal from her nails. She wished she hadn't boarded this ship again. She wished she hadn't set off that damn beacon and started this cursed mission in the first place. She even wished that she was back in that damn store, selling freaking key chains and t-shirts to whatever unlucky fellow decided to visit Colorado. She wished she was home, and while she had always claimed that the _Magus _was her home, it wasn't the same without Lincoln, and never would be.

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><p><strong>AN: <strong>Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Comments, complaints, or questions? Feel free to drop me a line via PM or review!

Signing off,

WiseGirl


	7. Dealt Hands

**AN: **Here's just a really, really short snippet of Lena and some of her feelings. I felt I should post this before May ended. Don't know why. This is probably the shortest thing I've ever posted to the website, so I'm sorry if I got anyone's hopes up! I've actually had this written for a while, I just haven't had it typed, but I got an email from my math teacher about my grade, which is FINALLY back up to an A, so I am in a really good mood. So, since I'm in such a good mood and because I don't have to worry about my research paper anymore, I figure why not give my readers a bit of a treat for sticking with me!

**Dedication: **To my readers!... if they are still out there I mean...

**Disclaimer: **I own none of these characters. They all belong to ABC. I am simply messing with their feelings.

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><p>The phone dropped uselessly from her hand, dropping to the floor with a thud. She couldn't be sure what feelings were brimming up within her. Hatred, remorse, guilt… All she could be sure of was the tears welling up in her eyes, threatening to pour over.<p>

She should have gone with them. She shouldn't have let them leave the harbor without her. Her heart ached at the though of her dad, stuck aboard the _Magus, _lost _somewhere_ on the friggin' Amazon, surrounded by miles and miles of water. The river wasn't supposed to be the last thing the crew saw. Her daddy was supposed to walk her down the aisle. He was supposed to cradle his first grandchild in his hands and promise to spoil the kid rotten. Her dad was supposed to come home. He was supposed to be gone for a few weeks, maybe a couple of months, and now… he was just…gone… Maybe forever. That thought alone made Lena wan to gag, her stomach clenching tightly as her hands turned to fists.

This was all Emmet's fault. He was the one who had suggested this trip, and he was the one who refused to allow anyone but Russ and a new crew aboard. No Tess, no Lena, no Clark, no Lincoln. Just Emmet, Russ, and a group of people who were meaningless to the _Magus _family. This new crew hadn't been through the ordeals that they had. They hadn't dealt with being stuck on a boat with hormones raging through them, and yet, this new crew were the ones stuck on the Amazon with her father and co. She wondered what unlucky hand they had been drawn in life.

She wished she had drawn it.

…..

She hadnt moved in the past few hours, her only movements being when she had slipped from off her couch, falling ino a heap between the seats and table. Her hand was limp around the phone, her gaze blank as she stared ahead. She imagined that she could spend several hours there and no one would care, no one would call… no one had called.

She was waiting. Waiting for someone to call, yet the phone remained silent.

No beep, no ring, nothing.

She didn't understand. Why hadn't he called/ He had been the first thing to pop into her mind once had thoughts had cleared from hearing the news. He was the one she wanted to talk to. He had lost his father to the unforgiving, twisted river, and he was the only one who really knew exactly how she felt. He always had.

Yet, the phone never rang. Not a chirp or a beep.

He didn't call, and she was left alone in the darkness of her thoughts.

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><p><strong>AN:<strong> Like I said, really short and probably not all that good. I'm going to have to go back and watch some of the episodes again, try and get some inspiration back, so do not despair fair reader! I should be back soon!

Signing off,

WiseGirl


	8. Bunked Together

**AN:** Here's the next chapter! Sorry it took me so long but right after I published the last chapter I had finals, and then, the Monday after school ended I started this apprenticeship thing downtown and my life has been tired and long and I've just been as lazy as I can. Anyway, here's the next chapter. A bit short, but not too horribly. Also, was anyone else terribly distraught to find out that there will _not _be a second season of _The River?_ Maybe I'm a bit late with this news but still! This is horrible! Sigh... whatever... I've got work in a few hours so here ya go!

**Dedication: **To people?

**Disclaimer: **All characters from this story belong to ABC (although I'd be glad to adopt them now that you've _abandoned _them!)

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><p>If Lena were to describe Lincoln in one word, it would be clean. Organized. Neat. <em>Sterile. <em>She supposed his future profession began to shine through at an early age. Now, if Lincoln were to describe _her…_ messy, unorganized, sloppy, rumpled, the list went on and on. And while their appearances or hygiene may not have shown this side, their shared room did.

Lincoln wanted everything to be in a specific order. Everything had a place when it came to him. The books went upright on their shelves, in alphabetical order no less, shoes went at the end of the bed in pairs, clothes went in their drawers or on hangers, and the bed was made everyday right after you got up. Lena on the other hand was a firm believer in organized chaos. Something's place was where it fell. She knew exactly where everything was, no matter what Lincoln may say or stressed about it.

At first, it seemed as though it would be impossible for the two to coexist on the same boat, let alone in the same room. The two were constantly bickering over their room. Lincoln demanded that everything be perfectly in place while Lena demanded that he allow her to be herself. The two argued for weeks over their room before Lena finally decided she couldn't deal with it, and instead of staying to deal with her friend and his cleanliness, the girl moved into the room just next to her father's.

It was the closest the two had _really _come to fighting and they remained in silence for several days, refusing to talk to each other. Instead, Lena spent her time with her father, messing with his cameras and trying to gain as much of her own footage as possible while leaving Lincoln to spend time with _his _father. While Lena actually enjoyed spending time with her cameraman father, Lincoln hated having to follow his dad from place to place, looking at things that were "magical" or whatever his father that it was. He had spent his entire life doing this and he was bored of it all. It bothered him that Lena was so happy after she had moved out of their room. She was supposed to be sad. She was supposed to be so sad that she came begging to him that he allow her to move back into their room. She was supposed to promise that she would get over her messy habits and that the room would remain as spotless as possible. And yet, Lena looked anything but sad. She may not have been talking to her best friend at the moment, but she was learning so much from just being with her father, and it was the first time in a while that the father and daughter duo received any time to themselves. Card games, accordion lessons, laughing over videos… It just wasn't fair… She should be upset that he had left, and since she wasn't, Lincoln was the one who found himself pouting day in and day out.

He wouldn't admit it, but he really was beginning to miss his messy friend. His room was even beginning to show this, as he began to let little things fall out of place. An upset cup of water was left in its resting spot, books remained on the desk, not even straightened, his clean clothes were kicked to a pile at the end of his bed and he didn't even bother to wipe his shoes off before walking across the room. It wasn't much, but it made him feel as though Lena was still in the room, that they were still bunking together.

…..

The door to Lincoln's bedroom creaked open, a ray of light from the hallway entering the room in a yellow gold haze. Carefully, a blonde head peaked its way around the door. The shadows seemed to wrap themselves around the small, forlorn form that had entered Lincoln's room. The figured paused for a moment, shivering in the breezy air of the _Magus_ before allowing the heat of the forest and river to wash over her in waves. Carefully, she made her way across the room, remembering how, when it came to Lincoln, everything was _always _in its-

"OUCH!" The blonde girl, gasped, leaning down to grab her stinging foot. "Son of a-"

"Lena?" The girl looked up, attempting to balance momentairly on her lone foot as she held her still stinging toes.

"Lincoln," she squeaked, her eyes wide and glistening as she continued to cltuch her aching foot. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake-" she broke off as her balance finally betrayed her. The blonde's arms flailed around a bit before she collapsed, falling back onto her butt at the same time that Lincoln flipped on the bedside lamp. The hearty glow of the light illuminated the girl sprawled across the unusually messy floor. "-you," Lena finished lamely, now rubbing her sore behind. She glared around her, glancing at the objects strewn across the room as she attempted to deduct which object was the offender. It took her a moment before she realized something, and she now turned to face the still bleary-eyed Lincoln.

"What happened here?" Lena inuired, aimlessly picking up a lone shoe and looking curiously at the sneaker. She looked up at Lincoln who was sitting up, rubbing his eyes. The normally spotless, sterile room was in disarray. Shoes and socks were thrown across the room, books were planted horizontally instead of upright and the papers on the desk were in no definitive order. It appeared as though Lena had never truly left the room, but in fact, all of the misplaced belongings were Lincoln's.

The boy yawned, looking at his friend who was still sitting in the middle of the unusual mess that was _all _Lincoln's. He made as though to respond to her question when he realized he had a question of his own to ask the blonde. Choosing to ignore her inquiries, his next words blurted from his mouth.

"What are _you _doing here, Lena?" Lincoln demanded suddenly, staring at Lena. The blonde girl opened and closed her mouth a few times while her fingers played aimlessly with the few hairs that had fallen out of her night-time braid and over her shoulder. She bit her lip, pulling tightly at her hair.

"I uh," she swallowed looking anywhere but at Lincoln for a few moments before the boy's stare became too much and she finally looked him in the eye, swallowing her pride. "I got scared," she admitted softly, her fingers now firmly wrapped in her blonde tresses. She looked at her friend with wide, fearful eyes, showing him just how frightened she was.

The two were silent for a moment. Lena looked determinedly at the rug, playing with a few oddly loose strings while Lincoln merely stared at his friend, his mind working as fast as it could in his sleepy stupor. He sighed, shaking his head whilst drawing Lena's attention to him. Almost reluctantly, he shifted over in his bed, raising the covers up. Lena looked at him, a hopeful light entering her eyes as she looked between the now empty space on the bed and her friend. He inhaled deeply, a small smile pulling at his lips as he jerked his head, gesturing for her to join him.

In a flash, Lena was off the floor, scurrying towards the warmth of the bed. She practically dived into the covers, pulling the blankets down around her, a look of contentness washing over her. The two friends lay there for a moment, before Lincoln reached across her to turn the light off. In a instant, the two were consumed by the darkness, the moon and stars from the porthole their own source of light. There was silence between them, the only noise being that of the water crashing agains the side of the ship and their breaths.

In, out. In, out.

"Lincoln?" Lena asked quietly, her voice barely a breath in the dark room. Beside her, Lincoln grunted showing that he had heard her in his weary state. "W-Will you sing to me?" There was another moment of silence before Lincoln's arms wrapped tightly around Lena, and she was pulled closer to him just as he began to sing softly in her ear.

"_Row, row, row your boat…"_

…..

Lena moved back into Lincoln's room the next day. Their week long separation was never mentioned, and no one aboard the ship dared ask what had happened between the two that had caused them to forgive each other. All the adults knew was that the kids' room was neither a mess nor sterile room. It was a home.

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><p><strong>AN:<strong> Probably nothing super fantastic, but at least it's something. Any suggestions from my readers on what to do next? Feel free to send me a message, and don't forget to review. I'd like to see what you thought of this chapter.

Signing off,

WiseGirl


	9. Don't Cry Over Spilled Coffee

**AN:** Hey everyone! I know it's been awhile, but here you go anyway! This one's an AU, in case anyone was wondering (I doubt there's anyone still here to wonder, but whatever).

**Dedication: **To not having finals today? Hip hip hurrah! Yay!

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing you recognize.

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><p>"Oh crap!"<p>

Those were the only words Lincoln heard before he found himself and his books covered in scalding coffee. He swore as he dropped his books, hastily pulling at his shirt to try and keep the burning liquid off of his skin, but to no avail. One of his folders split open and his papers blew away in the wind of the September day.

'_Well, this is goddamn perfect,_' Lincoln glowered. '_I'm already late for class.' _He scowled at the sight of his ruined shirt and at the feel of his irritated skin, and Lincoln looked up ready to give the coffee spiller a piece of his mind. He could practically feel his anger filled words spilling from his lips, but the sight of blue-green eyes staring up at him apologetically caused his words to die in his throat.

Standing in front of him, staring woefully at him with wide, blue eyes, was a girl –no a _woman_ – whose head barely reached his chin. Her hair was light and blonde and it fell in soft waves around her shoulders, and her skin was so perfectly tanned that it looked as though she had just come from a photo-shoot or something. She had that whole girl-next-door thing going on and Lincoln felt himself flush a little as she stared at him with those apologetic, Bambi eyes. She would have looked the perfectly valley girl were it not for the fact that her bright, blue-green eyes were hidden behind the thick frames of her glasses. In her hands was a crushed, Styrofoam cup, from which the remnants of her morning coffee were dripping from, and slung over her shoulder was a heavy looking, albeit expensive looking, camera bag.

"Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap!" the girl – _woman _ – cried. "I am _so_ sorry! It's my first day, and I've got all these books and my bag, and the cup just slipped! I'm so sorry! Are you alright?" She brushed a lock of hair out of the way and looked at Lincoln, expecting him now to say something. Lincoln, however, found that he could not formulate any words, and an awkward moment passed between the two. The girl-woman bit her lip as she looked up at him, before looking down at her feet. She nudged a scuffed toe along the edge of the cement and the strewn papers across the college campus finally caught her eye.

"Oh! Your papers!" she cried. "Let me get those for you." She dropped her own books (not her camera bag though) before getting down on her hands and knees so she could begin collecting his papers. Lincoln stared at her for a moment as she continued to jabber on, filling the awkward silence. She was wearing jean shorts and a simply purple t-shirt, completely oblivious to the disdainful looks she was receiving from the preppy girls on campus and the leering looks she was receiving from the majority of the guys on campus. It certainly didn't help that she was giving the male population an unwarranted opportunity to leer at her backside.

Lincoln shook his head and drew himself out of his thoughts just in time to aid the girl with collecting the last of his papers. The September wind had managed to catch some of the papers and they were now strewn across the green grass of the quad. No one seemed to notice Lincoln or this girl as they hurry to collect his papers before they were lost or dirtied even further. Lincoln was so focused on gathering up his papers, that he didn't even notice as he and the girl reach for the same one, at the exact same time, until their fingers have already collided.

They both jumped at the sparks that ignited throughout their bodies as their fingers touched, and she finally fell silent, her lips parted slightly, ready to form her next word. Their eyes met for a moment, blue meeting blue-green, just for a split second, and the sparks intensified by a tenfold. They stayed there for a moment; Lincoln leaning over and this girl on her hands and knees, their fingers entwined over a dirty and scuffed up piece of paper, simply staring into the other's eyes. They didn't know what it is, but in that moment something seemed to click, something felt right.

And then, that moment was gone.

A loud, obnoxious wolf whistle filled the air, and Lincoln and the girl broke apart, their hands hastily falling to their sides. Lincoln looked up to see a guy sitting on the opposite side of the quad. He had long, brown hair, a scruffy looking beard, and broad shoulders. He jerked his head at Lincoln in acknowledgement before turning his attention back to the blonde and winking at her. The girl turned away quickly, her cheeks turning pink, as she grabbed the last paper. She moved to push herself off the ground, and Lincoln, finally remembering that his mother brought him up as a gentleman, held out a hand to help her up.

The girl – he should really learn her name – looked at him hesitantly (or was it suspiciously?) before grabbing onto his hand and pulling herself up. The sparks were there again, burning their way up through their palms and into their hearts, but they both ignored it, blaming it on the heat. They pulled away quickly, and there was another awkward pause; it seemed as though the girl had run out of things to say. Again, she bit her lip and looked down, only this time the papers in her hands weren't hers. It took her a moment to realize this before she thrust the papers out towards Lincoln.

"Here," she said, brightly. "Again, I'm really sorry about all this. It's the caffeine. I keep telling myself that I need to stop drinking it, that it's only going to make me jumpy and make me ramble on and on, but it's so freakin' addictive that I can't stop."

"People say the same thing about cocaine," Lincoln supplied, before immediately falling silent. He shut his eyes, and inwardly berated himself for saying something so incredibly stupid. Why, why, why would he say that? Was there something wrong with him? Had the coffee burned away all of his common sense?

Lincoln was so busy yelling at himself that he almost missed the next moment. The girl started to laugh, snickering at first before full out laughing an actually _laugh_. Lincoln opened his eyes warily, ready to see this girl pointing at him and laughing, telling the world that he was as dumb as they come, but instead, she had a friendly smile on her face and he quickly realized that her laugh was a genuine one, not a snide one. She was laughing at his comment, his incredibly stupid comment, but his comment nonetheless; she wasn't laughing at _him_.

Lincoln stared at her, half in awe and half in silent awkwardness, as he waited for her laughter to stop. It finally did, and she took a few breaths to gather her composure, her cheeks pink and her blue-green eyes bright. She held out her hand and gave Lincoln a wide smile.

"I'm Lena," she told him brightly. "Lena Landry." Lincoln down at her hand for a moment before back up at her. He reached out and grasped her hand in his, ignoring the voice in his head that was squealing about how soft it was.

"Oh, um, I'm Lincoln Cole," he stammered. Lena smiled at him as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lincoln," Lena said. "Even if I did just spill my coffee all over you. You're sure you're alright, yes?" She eyed his terribly stained shirt and pulled an apologetic face. "I really am sorry about that. What a way to make friends, huh? You should let me buy you a new one or something; I feel terribly about it."

Lincoln shook his head quickly, adjusting the stack of papers in his hands. "Oh no!" he protested. "It's fine really. Didn't care for this shirt much anyway." '_Lies'_, his mind whispered. '_You love this shirt. You got it at that concert last month and you totally had a fan-girl moment and wore it for a week.' _But there was no way he was going to tell her – Lena – that.

"Are you sure?" Lena asked, her voice filled with guilt. "I could buy you a new one, or pay for that one to get cleaned, or I could-"

"Have a drink with me," Lincoln interrupted. Lena pursed her lips together, her eyes wide at the suddenness of his comment. Taking this as a bad sign, Lincoln tried to amend himself, anxiously running a hand through his already tousled hair. "I mean, that way we can get to know each other, right? Or we could not. I mean, if you don't want to that's fine, I totally get that. I wouldn't be big into getting drinks with some random person that I just-"

"Sure," Lena broke in. Lincoln stammered to a halt in his spiel. Lena looked up at him, smiling brightly. "I would really like that." She again brushed a strand of hair, irritably out of her face, before reaching into the side of her bag and grabbing a Sharpie. Lena pulled the cap off with her teeth and then leaned over to grab Lincoln's arm. Leaning over his hand, she wrote her number onto his hand, not even noticing the callous and coarseness of his skin. With a flick of the marker, she pulled away and smiled at the numbers written on his hand, admiring her less-than graceful handwriting. She pulled the cap from her mouth and put it back on the marker, before throwing it into her bag. She went to release his hand when the face of his watch caught her eye. "Oh no!" she cried suddenly, taking Lincoln – who was in shock that this girl (very, very, _very _attractive girl) had just written her number on his hand – by surprise. "I'm already five minutes late!" She kneeled down to grab her books and folders, before she stuffed her papers and books into her bag, not caring that they were crumpled and creased. Standing, she looked up at Lincoln and gave him a little smile.

"Call me, yeah?" she asked, already starting to walk away from him. Lena kept her eyes on his for as long as she could. "We'll get that drink, and this time it'll stay in the cup and off your shirt!" She smiled brightly again at him before turning and racing across the quad, leaving Lincoln standing in the same spot, a silly grin on his face, and his shirt still stained from the coffee.

…..

Lincoln barely even noticed when he walked into his Anatomy class fifteen minutes late; his thoughts were filled with that blue-green eyed girl and thinking that he was pretty damn lucky that she had spilled her coffee on him.

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><p><strong>AN:<strong> So this is (obviously) an AU, sometime while Lena and Lincoln are in college. They're never met, there's no magical River or mythical monsters. Just two college kids in college being college kids. Understandable if you guys think Lena or Lincoln's OOC; I haven't re-watched any episodes recently so I'm a bit out of touch.

Signing off,

WiseGirl


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